Find out how popular the last name Williard is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Williard.

Williard, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Williard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Williard in America

Williard is the 23691st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Williard surname appeared 1,069 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Williard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Williard to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Williard

The surname Williard finds its roots primarily in Anglo-Saxon England, with its earliest origins possibly dating back to the early medieval period around the 10th and 11th centuries. This name is thought to have derived from older Germanic elements, most likely combining "will," which means desire or will, and "heard," meaning brave or hardy. Variations of the name and similar spellings might have been recorded in the Old English language, influenced by the early Germanic tribes that settled England.

The surname has seen various spellings throughout history, including Willard, Willerd, and Williart, among others. These variations often depended on regional dialects and the literacy levels of the scribes who recorded them. In historical records, the name appears relatively early. For instance, in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, similar names were noted, indicating the presence of the bearers of such names in various parts of England.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Williard comes from the Hundred Rolls, a census taken in England in 1273, which lists a Richard Wyllard in Cambridgeshire. This early medieval association suggests that the Williard family was established in this region by the 13th century. Another early bearer of the name was Thomas Willard, who appears in land records from the late 14th century.

The name also has American historical significance. George Williard (1824–1901) was a notable American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Michigan after the American Civil War. His prominence in politics provides a glimpse into the familial spread and adaptation of the surname across the Atlantic.

Back in England, Simon Willard (1605–1676) was a key figure who emigrated from England and became a prominent officer and politician in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. His influence and the historical documents mentioning his contributions indicate the name's establishment and prominence in the early American colonies.

In more recent historical contexts, Frances E. Willard (1839–1898) was a well-known educator, temperance reformer, and women's suffragist in the United States. Though her surname was slightly varied as Willard, it highlights the interchangeability and lineage importance of this surname throughout history.

The historical evolution of the surname Williard not only encapsulates a blend of linguistic traditions but also reflects a wide geographic spread, shifting from Anglo-Saxon origins to notable figures in both England and the United States over the centuries. This rich history underscores the surname's longstanding presence and its bearers' contributions to different facets of society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Williard

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Williard.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Williard was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Williard has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Williard was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Williard, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!